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Drawing
Jerrell Crawford
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts​|Jacksonville, FL​
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Bright Destination|24 x 18 in. Material(s): acrylic on canvas board​ Process(es): revealed some of the bright sunshine in a dim room to emphasize the element of change.​
Curatorial Note: Strong sense of presence.​
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“How do the events of the past year affect who I am? Plus, I was interested in layering my everyday with the current issues happening around me. When I look in the mirror, I didn’t always recognize the person looking back. How can I capture my true identity through my reflection in my real time and space?”​

Student
statement

My portfolio investigates how can I capture my identity through physical and self-reflection. The pieces are based on photographs of myself and my environment.
This piece is called “Bright Destination,” in which I’m shown walking out of my room. I chose to capture the back of my body as I walk out to emphasize the darkness that I’m escaping. My room represents my old habits and character, while the light represents my unprecedented future yet hope for a better change. I wanted this investigation to stand out from my past work, which captured other people’s lives and environments, and instead, I focused on my own. I also wanted to go beyond the basic portrait to offer a deeper look into how reflection shapes my identity. The small details in this piece, like the cluttered dresser top and the painting in the closet, show a glimpse into my habits and personality. This is contrasted by the bright doorway, almost completely white, showing a new reality and environment, neither good nor bad, yet will be shaped by my own hopes and goals. Change is sometimes scary because of uncertainty, yet you can embrace it to become something better. This investigation has not only helped me express my identity but also confront my habits and obstacles hindering my progress.
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Jerrell Crawford
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Material(s): photo reference, process of acrylic on canvas board.​ Process(es): revealed some of the bright sunshine in a dim room to emphasize the element of change.

Teacher Statement

Hillary Hogue
Jerrell is one of many students who was coming out of an online schooling experience. Last fall, when he came back to school, he struggled to reconnect with art processes and the pacing of his work. He quickly adapted and started creating works based on self-portraits and his everyday environment.
We started the year looking at different artists’ ideas and processes to better understand ways to create an original body of work. We also critiqued each other’s work, and this created a supportive peer environment for students to talk out their ideas and processes. Jerrell has excellent painting skills and has translated his everyday environment into images that the other students could relate to. The piece chosen is meaningful in that it represents hope and the future.
35 x 25 in.
Material(s)
: pencil on paper​.
Process(es): took a low angle picture of myself and made a gridded background with a repeated phrase.